Throughout the history of art, there has always been a plethora of portraiture, no matter the time period or the medium whether is be sculptures, paintings or even carvings. Humans have always been fascinated with themselves and the way others look. But it’s not always about vanity, it means so much more and can be conveyed in many different ways. In some cases, the artists moved beyond that of a simple likeness and can instill different emotions in the viewer. That being said, in this essay I will compare and contrast two portraits. The first is an oil painting titled Man in a Red Turban by Flemish painter Jan van Eyck from 1433. The second work of art is Louis XIV by Hyacinthe Rigaud, a French Baroque painter. The portrait is from 1701 and is an oil-on-canvas painting. These two works of art both demonstrate a likeness of each of their subjects but use different styles, elements and emotions to captivate the viewer. In this essay I will detail why I believe Man in a Red Turban is the better portrait and why it is so effective. In the grand scale of time, these two portraits technically were not painted very far apart. But in terms of art styles of each of said time periods, they are very different. Van Eyck’s paintings were created at the dawn of the early Renaissance, which drew upon ideas like science, humanism and philosophy. The art during that period preserved a medieval understanding of a hierarchical relationship as well as religious imagery but also while pleasing in a realistic treatment of elements that were both natural as well as man made. On the other hand, Rigaud was present during the Baroque cultural movement at the height of reformation. As a result of the time period, the art style for the Baroque was grand ... ... middle of paper ... ...In contrast, Hyacinthe Rigaud’s is just the opposite, using a plethora of detail and sense of grandeur in order to reflect the majestic nature of the king and his monarchy. Each portrait serves their own purpose and are the results of their correlating time periods. They are both simply fantastic paintings that have and will continue to transcend time and influence future artists for centuries. Works Cited "4 / Ceremony and Society." Art Through Time: A Global View. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. Gardner, Helen, and Richard G. Tansey. Gardner's Art through the Ages. Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt Brace College, 1996. Print. "Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History." Jan Van Eyck (ca. 1390–1441). N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. "Hyacinthe Rigaud." Archives De France |. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. "Portrait of a Man (Self Portrait?)." Jan Van Eyck. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014.
Regardless of taste, an appreciator of art should be able to recognize when an artist exerts a large amount of effort and expresses a great amount of creativity. Understanding the concepts incorporated by truly talented artists helps the viewer better understand art in general. Both Van Eyck and Velasquez are examples of artists that stood out in their time due to their unique vision and their innovative style, and are therefore remembered, recognized, and praised even centuries after their works were completed.
We find that, in conclusion, that these pieces are very similar in many ways. They are both originally created in the same style and time period. They are Hellenistic and dramatic, although in their own, individualistic way. Each sculpture was created in different mediums and have different stories. These are both very individualistic pieces of Greco/Roman sculpture that has influenced many artists throughout time and will
For my assignment, I will be comparing the two pieces of art titled Louis XIV painted by Hyacinthe Rigaud and Portrait of Marie Antoinette With Her Children by Marie-Louise-Elisabeth Vigee-Lebrun. I will be analyzing and breaking down the different techniques used in both paintings and explaining the similarities between them as well. Though the paintings contain the same family throughout both, there is a clear imbalance in power and something very normal for this time period. I will be elaborating on the difference in social status between the two paintings, even though they are the same family.
Cothren, M. & Marilyn Stokstad. (2011). Art History, Volume 2, 4th Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Learning Solutions.
The Art Bulletin, Vol. 57, No. 2 (Jun., 1975), pp. 176-185. (College Art Association), accessed November 17, 2010. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3049368.
Even thought during 15th century, Northern Europe experienced numerous alterations in representation of pictorial space, this paper will only address two of the major changes. They include “MAN IN A RED TURBAN” which was developed by Jan van Eyck in 1433 and “DIPTYCH OF MAARTEN CAN NIEUWENHOVE” developed by Hans Memling in 1487. In these two arts, the sculptors used colored pigments, drying oils such as walnut, linseed, and poopy-seed oil. The tools included wood panel, canvas, wall, brushes, and spatulas (Pearson, 2005; Fuga, 2006).
Faggin, Giorgio T and Hughes, Robert. The Complete Paintings of the Van Eycks. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1976. Print.
If someone who had no prior knowledge about art, or the elements and principles of design, were given five seconds to look at these two paintings, they’d probably say they had almost nothing in common, other than the fact that they both feature mountains, and it’d be true for those people. But, if you are someone that does know a lot of information
"" Title="Art History Unstuffed" Art History Unstuffed." Art History Unstuffed RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Oct. 2013.
Gardner, Helen, and Fred S. Kleiner. Gardner's Art Through the Ages: The Western Perspective. N.p., 2014. Print.
To conclude, both sculptures do not have much in common, but it is obvious that the artists had knowledge in human anatomy and was able to sculpt them spectacularly. It is also obvious the break from somewhat idealistic to realistic human nature. The change is so drastic that one might not believe that both sculptures come from the same Greece because it is so well-known for its astonishing artworks found in temples, building, etc.
Velazauez’s 1650 portrait of Juan de Pareja and Peale’s 1782 portrait of George Washington differ greatly in their places and times of origin, as well as the historical contexts in which they were painted. Their color palates and compositions appear as polar opposites to each other, and their subject matters are entirely dissimilar. Despite these apparent contrasts between the two works, they both preserve the likeness and honor the characters of their respective subjects. The comparison of these works illuminates how although both structure and context may vary significantly from portrait to portrait, there are characteristics inherent to many if not all portraits that remain unaltered even when in seemingly disparate contexts.
Kleiner, Fred, Gardner's Art through the Ages: A Global History, Fourteenth Edition The Middle Ages, Book B (Boston: Wadsworth, 2013), 348.
In history, there were two paintings that were very similar yet different. One was called the “Mona Lisa” which was painted by one of the most famous artists of the renaissance, Leonardo da Vinci. The other painting was called “Portrait of a Lady” by the flemish artist, Van der Weyden. They both were a huge influence in the art world during their lifetimes. And even after their deaths, their lives and works continue to inspire the minds and hearts of each generation.
Kleiner, Fred S. Gardner’s Art through the Ages: The Western Perspective. Vol 2.13th ed. Boston: Wadsworth/ Cengage Learning, 2010.